The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is inviting applications for a five-year cooperative agreement to develop and support a Cardiovascular Disease Research Network (CVRN). The goal of the CVRN will be to increase scientific knowledge of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including epidemiology, risk and risk factors, prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in the context of community-based healthcare deliver.y The CVRN will facilitate and perform collaborative cardiovascular disease (CVD) research among healthcare organizations located in geographically diverse areas with the following characteristics: comprehensive longitudinal care; access to large and diverse patient populations with low turnover rates; and patient and provider-level information relevant to CVD. Although this research opportunity will support enhancements to existing data systems for research purposes, NHLBI envisions that healthcare organizations will have already completed substantial work to integrate data systems (e.g., from laboratory, pharmacy, outpatient, hospitalization, and specialty care sources) in order that research can be completed within the timeframe of this award.

Because MU is limited to one application for this program, letters of intent must be submitted to the Office of Research, ltdsub@missouri.edu, no later than 4:00 pm Friday, January 19, 2007. Letters of intent should be limited to a three-page summary, including 1) the structure of the CVRN; 2) plans for research projects and short-term investigations; 3) cores to perform administrative, data standardization and integration, and evaluation functions; and 4) how the proposed CVRN activities complement past or ongoing CVD research in the healthcare organizations, particularly research that has used available data resources and existing electronic data systems.

Amount:

The total cost for each project year (not to exceed 5 years) may not exceed $1.5 million subject to the availability of funds, including all direct and indirect costs

MU Deadline:

4:00 p.m., Friday, January 19, 2007

Sponsor Deadline:

Non-required letters of intent are due by January 22, 2007. The deadline for submission of applications is February 21, 2007.